


Exhale

by bethgreenesgf



Series: ASOIAF Rarepair Week [5]
Category: A Song of Ice and Fire & Related Fandoms
Genre: F/M, Smoking
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-29
Updated: 2018-06-29
Packaged: 2019-05-31 23:46:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,000
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15130379
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bethgreenesgf/pseuds/bethgreenesgf
Summary: "I wonder if it’s true what they say about Jaime Lannister’s golden fingers.” Arya waggled her eyebrows and Pod made a retching sound. “Which reminds me, is that sick on your collar?”“What?” He tucked his chin to his chest to get a better look at the stain. “Oh, yeah.”





	Exhale

“Pod.”

“Arry.”

“You look like shit.” He had bags under his eyes and the clothes Arya had seen him leave in last night still on, with a bit of what she hoped was some sort of soup on his collar.

“Feel like it.”

“Late night with Ros?”

“Why, you jealous, princess?”

“You wish.”

“What are you doing down here so early?”

“Jon’s new girlfriend doesn’t like the smell of cigarettes.” Arya blew out a plume of smoke, picking at the filter with her thumb nail.

“He’s got a new girlfriend?”

“Dany.”

“Dany,” Podrick repeated. “And she spent the night?” Arya nodded, staring out into the middle distance. “Dunno how she managed if she doesn’t smoke. Your apartment reeks.”

“Shut it.”

“So, do we hate her?” He leaned against the brick beside her, shoulder pressed into the wall so he could face her.

“She was nice,” Arya said absentmindedly, biting her bottom lip. “Maybe it’s time for me to go home.”

“Well, pass your smoke over here if you’re done with it.” He made a greedy, come-hither motion with his hand.

“No, I mean like, real home. Winterfell.” Arya handed Pod her cigarette, fingers and nose and cheeks bright red from the cold.

“Over some random girl that your brother would dump in a second if you asked him to? Seems sorta stupid to me.”

“That’s not the point.” Arya bounced a little on her toes, exhaling. “He shouldn’t have to worry about how I—I can see my breath.”

“It’s like ten degrees out.” Podrick gestured to her outfit with his free hand. She was practically naked, not that he minded. “And you’re wearing a t-shirt.”

“And shorts!” She pulled up the edge of her shirt above her thigh, showing Pod her shorts indignantly.

“Sexy.” He winked, pinching her thigh. Arya batted his hand away, rolling her eyes, and took her cigarette back. “Hey!”

“Stupid. How’s your mum?”

“Good. She’s away on business.” Arya held the cigarette up to Podrick’s lips for him to take a puff.

“With the bloke she’s shagging?” He groaned.

“Don’t be disgusting, Arya.”

“I’ll take that as a ‘yes’. I wonder if it’s true what they say about Jaime Lannister’s golden fingers.” Arya waggled her eyebrows and Pod made a retching sound. “Which reminds me, is that sick on your collar?”

“What?” He tucked his chin to his chest to get a better look at the stain. “Oh, yeah.”

“That’s fucking disgusting. Why don’t you take that thing off?”

“Are you trying to get me naked, Arya?” Podrick unbuttoned his dress shirt and dropped it on the ground, but the white t-shirt he had on underneath was considerably less suited to the weather. He rubbed his hands along his upper arms in an attempt to ward off the chill. He shivered.

“Why don’t you go back inside? You could probably get in a couple hours sleep before work.” Arya wasn’t sure exactly what time it was. She had left her phone sitting on the bedside table when she came outside to smoke. It seemed early enough, though, maybe even late last night by some measure.

“Nah, I like it out here.” He slid to the filthy street, grabbing Arya’s hand to draw her down with him. “It’s quiet.”

“Yeah.” Arya passed the cigarette back to him. “Until you show up, yammering away.”

“You love it.” They shared a few seconds of silence, listening to the distance sound of a siren, and then, “You’re not really gonna leave are you?”

“I don’t know. I was only supposed to stay with Jon for the summer.” Arya bit her lip. “I’ve overstayed my welcome by six months already.”

“You know Jon would have you forever. Hell, when he finally buys his little house up north he’s sure to let you have your pick of the rooms, whether you’re there one day of the year or 365, so you can’t tell me he wants you out. There’s got to be something else.”

“My mother…,” She trailed off and Pod bumped her shoulder to get her to continue. “I was so selfish, after. To come here and leave her.”

“Your dad had just died, Ar. You needed space.”

“Her husband died and I just left her, to deal with all of it on her own.” Arya stubbed out the butt into the concrete, pushing down until it nearly flattened under her force.

“Your mum had Robb and Sansa and Bran and Rickon there with her. You did what you needed to do. She knows that.” Arya narrowed her eyed at him.

“When did you get so wise?”

“I’ve always been wise, you’ve just been too blinded by my pretty face to pay any mind to my brilliant brain,” Pod held a hand to his chest in mock indignation.

“I know all about your big head,” Arya teased, lighting a new cigarette. She inhaled and handed it off to Pod. “What do you think I should do?”

“If you want to stay, stay. If you want to go, do that. But I’ll miss you if you leave.”

“Oh, don’t go getting all soppy on me now, Podrick.” Arya shoved at his shoulder playfully.

“I mean it, who will I bum cigs off of if you’re gone?”

“You could buy your own.”

“And ruin my reputation? Never.” Podrick passed the cigarette back to Arya. He eyed her, smiling softly. “I saw you, you know, the first day you came here. You were struggling to pull that massive bag up the stairs and I was gonna offer to help you and then you heaved the bag over your shoulder like some sort of bodybuilder and practically ran the rest of the way up.”

“I would have hated if you had tried to carry my bag for me.”

“I know. I was like, she could probably kick my ass. I thought you were so cool, this little badass.” Arya bit her lip. “And you are, but you’re y’know ‘Arya’, too. Which is even better.”

**Author's Note:**

> For ASOIAF Rarepairs "[Rarepair Week](https://asoiafrarepairs.tumblr.com/post/173749507007/asoiafrarepairs-weve-all-seen-fandom-events)", Day Five — Salty Teens AU.


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